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The working week had been spent trying to decide where to go and once my friend Derek was on board, I looked at shorter walks as he had suffered an injury while jogging. These two hills looked like the best option so after a delayed start (he was rough
) we made the journey up my
favourite road, the A82
Low cloud covered Ben Lomond but we knew it would clear further up and as we reached Bridge of Orchy, blue sky greeted us and I knew I had chose wisely.
The car park was surprisingly quiet although with weather as good as this, we figured most people in the area would be heading for the Buachaille so we wouldn't have to deal with too much of a crowd. The temptation of the ski lift was ignored and we made our way slowly up the path as neither of us were in a hurry and we were stopping frequently to enjoy the views across Rannoch Moor behind us.
As we reached a flat bit someone who had came up on the ski lift joined us although he qualified it by saying he had walked up the previous week and was only back this time to add on Creise. As we discussed the best way up on to the summit, he told us that our intended route was quite boggy so we followed him on a slightly longer path which was bone dry. This also afforded us a good view of Stob Dearg and I couldn't resist the urge to take a picture of it along with our route up to the top of Meall a' Bhuiridh.
It was very warm and muggy by this point and we were taking our time to get to the summit. I took a wee bit longer than I had estimated but we were met by a cool breeze and some excellent views.
The route to the summit of Criese looked fairly easy and so it proved. I always enjoy a scramble and there was a very short one before the wide ridge that leads to the summit. That view that you are greeted with as you reach the 1070m mark is phenomenal and the three of us stood and took it in before ambling up to the 1100m summit. It was universally decided that we should make the two minute walk to the next cairn and enjoy the views from there.
All that was left now was the journey back tot he car and we decided to traverse the side of Meall a'Bhuiridh instead of going over the summit. Aside from me landing hip first into a pointy rock
the descent was straightforward and before we knew it we were back at the car although for the last wee bit the midgies gave us a send off.
I was surprised that it had only taken us 6 hours considering we were moving quite slowly bu it was still an enjoyable day. As we had left the summit of Criese I was sizing up the Corbett Beinn Mhic Chasgiag and had I been alone I would have went for it but I'll come back to that another day. We said cheerio to the man from Cornwall who had been great company and then braved that frustrating road home.
